Late-developing Integral is evolving into one of the better older fillies in Europe, and she scored her first Group 1 victory on Friday at Newmarket, comfortably defeating 3-year-old Rizeena by two lengths in the Falmouth Stakes.
Trainer Edward Lynam’s powerful pair of sprinters, Sole Power and Slade Power, meet several rising 3-year-olds, including the Spanish horse Noozhoh Canarias, in the Group 1 July Cup on Saturday at Newmarket in England.
Integral, Sky Lantern, and Rizeena head the seven fillies and mares entered in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes on Friday at Newmarket in England.
After two good losses to start his 2014 campaign, Mukhadram broke through with a big win Saturday at Sandown in the Eclipse Stakes, winning the first Group 1 race of his career by two lengths over Trading Leather.
The Fugue will attempt to repeat her brilliant performance last month winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot when she starts Saturday in the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.
A pair of older horses, Spiritjim in France and Thistle Bird in Ireland, notched Group 1 victories for the first time Sunday.
Gold Ship became the first horse to win two runnings of the $2.7 million Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan on Sunday, a victory that could lead to a start in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October.
Australia gave trainer Aidan O’Brien his 11th career win in the Irish Derby at The Curragh on Saturday, a race that lacked a competitive feel. Australia was the 1-8 favorite against four rivals in the $1,687,500 Irish Derby and was not tested, winning by 2 1/2 lengths over stablemate Kingfisher. Another O’Brien-trained runner, Orchesta, finished third, followed by Ponfeigh and Fascinating Rock.
There is Group 1 action in France and Ireland on Sunday, with The Curragh hosting the Pretty Polly Stakes and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud carded at Saint-Cloud just west of central Paris.
Australia and Kingston Hill, first and second in the English Derby on June 7, meet for the second time in a month in Saturday’s $1,687,500 Irish Derby at The Curragh.
